Buying a breast pump? Here are 5 things to consider!

A breast pump makes providing milk for your baby easier and more efficient. But finding the right one can be a daunting task with the many options available. In this article, we’ve highlighted the most important factors to consider when buying one.

Now, more than ever, a breast pump is considered a must-have for many moms in Malaysia. Not only does it make expressing milk easier for moms but also gives moms the freedom to do other things without worrying about what to feed her baby. Gone are the days when you have to cancel all plans because you want to exclusively feed breastmilk to your baby!

Besides this, having a breast pump ready can also be helpful when you need to increase or maintain your milk supply. Plus, it comes in handy when you need to drain the breasts when they’re engorged and you’re having a painful breastfeeding experience.

So, What Should You Look For in a Breast Pump?

1. Purpose

For most moms, the choice is usually between a manual and an electric breast pump. If you’re mostly a stay-at-home mom with a well-established milk supply, a manual pump can be sufficient. You can use it when you need to relieve engorged breasts at home.

Meanwhile, an electric breast pump is the best option if your lifestyle requires you to be away from your baby most of the time. If your maternity leave is ending soon and you plan on continuing to provide breastmilk to your baby, an electric breast pump will allow you to express milk faster than a manual breast pump could.

2. Price

As a rule, always spend within your needs and if it’s within your means. While quality breast pumps can be expensive, be open to new brands that offer the same quality without breaking the bank (yes, they exist!)

Remember, the money you invest in a reliable breast pump will eventually make up for it when you take into account the cost of formula feeding.

3. Single or Double

On a related note, electric breast pumps are categorized into the single and double pump with the double generally pricier. Single electric breast pumps are a smart choice for moms who plan to occasionally express milk for their little ones.

But if you have to choose between a single and double pump, remember that going for a double pump will half the time you spend expressing. This will be useful for moms who plan to pump at work and have busy schedules. Moreover, expressing both breasts at the same time will yield you more milk, of course.

4. Portability

Here’s the truth about breastfeeding: you have to breastfeed or pump often in order to keep your milk supply stable. Sometimes, skipping a nursing or pumping session will affect your breastmilk output.

As such, it’s important to choose a model that’s easy to carry, fits in your bag and versatile enough to be used in any location. Moreover, look for brands or models that can be used with a power bank or batteries.

5. Settings

Another important feature that you should look for is if it has two types of expression. In general, electric breast pumps let you switch between modes—stimulation/massage and expression/suction. The stimulation or massage phase creates light and quick suctions to trigger the let-down reflex. Meanwhile, the expression or suction phase creates deeper and longer suctions to pump milk.

This feature improves the breastfeeding experience because you get to choose what is most comfortable for you. Even better would be to go for a brand or model that has different suction levels that allow you to control the strength of the suction.

6. Sound

The need to pump milk can strike us anywhere – yeah we get it mums. As such, choose a brand or model that is quiet enough to be used while inside the nursery, in your bedroom or at your office without disrupting anyone. Ideally, go for breast pumps that have a decibel rating of 50 and below.

Introducing our Affordable Breast Pump at Mama’s Choice Malaysia

With the above points in mind, we have came up with a true value-for-your-money breast pump – Mama’s Choice Single Electric Breast Pump. It’s a great choice for moms who want to conveniently and efficiently express milk. With this, you get the benefit of breastfeeding on one breast and expressing from the other!

It’s small, compact and light which makes it easy to put in your bag for emergency pumping on the go. Plus, it can also be plugged into a laptop or a power bank. With two-phase expression and 9 adjustable suction levels, Mama’s Choice Single Electric Breast Pump is surprisingly affordable and superbly efficient. Learn more about our Single Electric Breast Pump here!